Review of On the Trail of the Iguana

A glimpse into the mind of a master filmmaker

I was fortunate to have access to this beautifully filmed behind-the-scenes look at the making of Night of the Iguana on the DVD bonus features. From the first moments, I really couldn't tell when it was produced, as the scenes looked like they could have been captured last week.

In this documentary short, we gain insight into some of the logistical challenges as well as the unique opportunities of filming on location in Mexico.

Additionally, we are aware of some of the more human-centric issues that could have escalated had it not been for Huston's steady hand in diffusing the tension unconventionally. Not to spoil anything, but he gave each of his principle actors a gold-handled gun.

Sometimes, behind-the-scenes offerings can be a bit dry for my tastes, but this one was captivating, and I learned a great deal about the filmmaking process.